Warp Speed Ahead
by samanddianefan10
Summary: After Noel saves Alice's life Roz begins to think of him differently. How long will this last?
1. Chapter 1

I got this idea from Kristin in a review for another story and it is so much fun to write!

Roz was excited. She was taking one year old Alice in to the office to show her off. She wasn't so fragile anymore, and everyone had been begging to see her. This past year had been the roughest year of her life, but she was starting to relax and feel like she knew what she was doing. She was a new woman and had the confidence to show it.

As expected, Alice was the hit of the office. Everyone loved her. She recognized Frasier, who got a kick out of her reaction to him. Her eyes lit up and she started making baby noises when she saw him, and Frasier and Roz laughed. Just then Noel walked up to them. Frasier took it as his cue to leave.

"Hey there pretty mama," he smiled at Roz.

"I told you before, I'm not pretty mama, I'm not pretty woman, I'm not pretty lady, I'm not pretty anything. Got it?" Roz asked.

"Gosh, don't you think you're being a little hard on yourself?" Noel asked innocently.

"Oh I brought Alice a gift. A child's dictionary to the Klingon language. I think you will find it will take her far in life," he smiled knowingly at her.

Roz was about to respond when Alice began to choke. Roz panicked.

"Oh my God. My m&m's! She must have grabbed one off my desk! What do I do?"

"Give her to me."

"I'm not giving you my daughter ! Where's Frasier?"

"Do you want her to live? Give her to me!"

Noel took Alice and swept his finger in her throat and removed the offending candy. She began to cough and breathe normally, to the relief of everyone. Roz swept her in her arms and cradled her close to her tearfully.

"Noel I love you!"

She didn't realize what she said but Noel was in seventh heaven. He had been waiting all his life for a girl like Roz to say that to him. He knew he wasn't the biggest catch in the room the way Gil was but still, Roz loved him! He wouldn't trade that for a William Shatner autographed phaser.

"Noel is there anything I can do to repay you?" Roz asked.

"Will you have dinner with me tonight?" He asked hopefully.

"Oh Noel, you know I…" Roz looked at him then looked at Alice. "You know I would love to."

"Pick you up at seven?"

"Sure. And Noel?"

Roz walked over and kissed him on the cheek. After she left he passed out dead away, not caring if he ever woke up.

0000

"Interesting choice of restaurant Noel," Roz commented.

"Yes, it's Seattle's first sci-fi themed restaurant. It's the thing of the future. I got us the very same booth Scott Bakula sat in during opening night," he beamed.

"Who?"

"Funny Roz. I can see I have so much to teach you. But that's okay. I have hundreds of Star Fleet monthlies you can look through to get caught up. Start off with the original series. It's the best. No one beats Shatner."

"Noel do you realize the only thing I understood in what you just said was my name?"

"Now you know how I feel in ordinary conversations."

Roz looked at Noel. That was probably true. He probably didn't fit in very well, and his Star Trek nonsense was his link to the rest of the world. How lonely must he be? This was the man that saved his daughter's life and he was going to be lonely no more, if she had anything to say about it.


	2. Chapter 2

The more that Roz was hanging out with Noel, the more she found herself overlooking some of the things that drove her crazy about him, like the way he hung on to her every word and the Star Trek stuff. Maybe it was because she was a mother now and was developing a sense of sympathy, but she was beginning to see something in him that she never had before. Besides, he worshipped her, and what woman didn't love that?

"Great show today Frasier, I only fell asleep twice," she remarked as she took off her headset.

Frasier glared at her. "Very funny. Isn't it time for your annual raise? I'm sure that my opinion carries some weight around here."

Roz joined him in his room. "Someone thinks highly of himself. Who do you think you are? William Shatner?"

Frasier studied her for a minute and then smiled.

"What, what is it? Tell me now."

"You've been too busy to come over for dinner for the past few weeks but you won't tell me why. You're making Star Trek jokes. You're seeing Noel!"

Roz's face grew red."What! You're crazy! Have you lost your mind? I am not seeing Noel!"

Just then Gil Chesterson walked in. "What's this I hear? You and Noel? What a delicious tidbit to overhear. Thank you Roz. And to think that I've heard this straight from the horse's mouth!" He giggled then turned around and left.

"Oh God Frasier look what you've done! This is the worst think that's happened to me. Now the whole office is going to think there's something going on between us!"

"Calm down Roz. I don't see why you're so upset. If it's not true no one will believe it. But if it is true people were bound to find out. Noel would have shouted it from the roof top. So what's going on?" Frasier asked.

What was going on? She wasn't sure, but she didn't hate it, either.


	3. Chapter 3

"Noel…we have to talk." Roz grabbed him by the arm and pulled him aside to one of the side rooms.

"What is it Roz? Are we still on for the Firefly marathon tonight? I made my special Rice Krispie squares."

"No, Noel. You don't get it. This isn't happening. "

"What's not happening?"

"Us. I don't want to watch Butterfly.."

"Firefly."

"Whatever. I don't want to watch Firefly with you, I don't want your cooking and I don't want to spend any time with you. We are not a couple, do you understand me?"

"But Roz, I thought you've been having fun hanging out with me. Wow, the last woman I said that to was my mother!"

"No, Noel. I have had fun, but this has got to stop. I have a reputation to protect."

"Who needs a reputation when you've got true love?" Noel asked hopefully.

"Stop it! This isn't love. I don't love you, I'm not sure that I even like you. In fact, I can barely tolerate you. Please, now just stop!" Roz demanded.

Something, who knew what it was, but there was something about Roz's last statement that finally sank in with Noel. He looked at her sadly, nodded his head and turned around to walk away.

Who was he kidding? Why would a classy dish like Roz ever fall for him anyways? He just wasn't the type of guys girls fell for. He was the one who would do their homework for them, lend them his last five bucks and never get repaid, the one who would do anything to make the object of his desire happy. But maybe Roz was right. No one would ever love him, so maybe it was just better for everyone that he stayed away. For how long, who knew, but it was obvious – Seattle would be better off without him.

Tbc

**I know this isn't one of my popular stories, but I have so much fun writing it. I hope you enjoy reading it as well, and sorry about the delay. I got a little hint about my unfinished stories today so I thought I would do some catching up!**


	4. Chapter 4

Noel knew what he had to do. He had to leave Seattle. Roz didn't love him, and he was only fooling himself for believing that he had a chance with her. She'd been kind to him, but who wouldn't be kind to a stray puppy? That's what he was, wasn't he? He didn't fit in at the station, who was he kidding. Even Shatner had a restraining order against him, so even if he should appear in Seattle for a convention, a premiere, or a commercial he couldn't go near him. What was left for him, just a broken heart?

So Noel packed his bags and left a card on Roz's desk before he left town. She wouldn't be in the office yet, so he had time to do what he wanted to do. What he needed to do, rather. She just didn't have any feelings for him. Who could blame her? She was a Venus, he was, well, he was Noel. So he headed to the airport and started his check in for his baggage.

Roz was awakened from her slumber by a call from Kenny. "Noel's gone!" he cried out in a panic.

"What are you talking about?"

"Noel. He's quit. He's taking off from Seattle. My family at home is broken, now my family at the workplace is broken too.":

"What are you talking about?"

Suddenly it dawned on her. She'd been pretty harsh with Noel, but she couldn't be the reason he was leaving, could she? Was it possible for a man to love her so much that he'd throw his life away just because he couldn't have her? There was something a little romantic about that actually.

She hung up the phone and tossed on some clothing. If she knew Noel he would probably be headed to Scotland, home of the fictional Scotty from Star Trek. She had to get to the airport fast!

Why her, she thought as she drove to the airport. Why did he have to love her? She hadn't done anything to warrant his love, and she certainly had discouraged his affections over the years. She didn't know why she pushed him away the way she had. After all, he'd saved Alice's life! He was thoughtful, always leaving her little tokens of his affections. When was the last time she'd been pursued that way?

All she could think of was when she got to the airport was that hopefully it wasn't too late. Noel may not have been the model type she liked to date, but he loved Alice, and he loved her, so how could she be so blind as to throw that away?


End file.
